JP6277957B2 - Nutritional composition - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a novel liquid or semi-solid nutritional composition comprising at least protein, carbohydrate, lipid, minerals and soybean lecithin, a method for producing the nutritional composition, and thickening of the liquid or semisolid nutritional composition. It relates to methods.

  Nutrients necessary for carrying out life support activities are called carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, inorganic salts (minerals), vitamins, and dietary fiber, and are called six major nutrients. These nutrients are usually taken from a daily diet, but elderly people whose stomach has shrunk with age, patients with reduced swallowing and chewing ability due to cerebrovascular disorders, neuromuscular disorders, etc., consciousness disorders, etc. Therefore, patients who are difficult to take orally, post-operative patients who cannot take a normal meal, etc. need to use a nutritional composition that comprehensively contains nutrients such as concentrated liquid foods and nutrients.

  Tube feeding is a treatment in which a nutritional composition is administered using a tube passed from outside the body into the digestive tract when oral intake is difficult. In recent years, gastrostomy / intestinal fistula tube feeding has been spreading as one aspect of tube feeding. This gastrostomy / intestinal fistula feeding method is nutritional composition through a tube in which an external fistula (fistula) is constructed and placed in the esophagus, stomach, and jejunum (mostly the stomach). This is a method of continuously or intermittently administering a product, and can provide a nutritional composition directly to the stomach or intestine. Therefore, it is said that water and nutrients can be taken through the digestive tract as well as healthy people, and the quality of life of patients (hereinafter referred to as QOL) can be improved.

  In tube feeding, it is known that when the viscosity of the nutritional composition is low, gastroesophageal reflux, leakage from the fistula, diarrhea and the like are likely to occur. In particular, gastroesophageal reflux may lead to reflux esophagitis, aspiration pneumonia, etc., and measures such as slowing the administration rate have been taken, but now, by adding a gelling agent or a thickener, etc. It has been shown that these symptoms can be prevented by increasing the viscosity of the nutritional composition to make it semi-solid. On the other hand, when the nutritional composition is introduced into the stomach or intestine via a tube or the like, if the fluidity of the nutritional composition is low, a large force is required for extrusion from the container or tube, and the administration cannot be performed easily. Therefore, a nutritional composition having both a viscosity capable of preventing gastroesophageal reflux and the like and fluidity that does not require great force for administration is clinically useful.

  As a method for increasing the viscosity of the nutritional composition, in addition to a method of adding a gelling agent or a thickening agent separately from the nutrient, a method utilizing denaturation or gelation of the protein itself contained as the nutrient is used. Yes. In this method, there is a problem in that the viscosity increases excessively when the amount of protein and minerals is increased, but water-insoluble particles of a protein insolubilized with a divalent cation are formed in the composition, and the composition A means for obtaining rheological properties preferable for oral ingestion and administration from a tube has already been developed by setting the volume-based median diameter (d50) of particles contained therein to a specific range (Patent Document 1).

International Publication No. 2007/026474 Pamphlet International Publication No. 2007/136083 Pamphlet

Conventionally, it is known to use a thickener as a method for imparting viscosity to liquid foods such as concentrated liquid foods. As a thickening method for liquid food, it is known to blend a thickener such as xanthan gum as disclosed in Patent Document 2, but there is a problem that the tube fluidity is lowered.
A general concentrated liquid food such as that described in Patent Document 1 can increase the viscosity of a product by applying the above-described method utilizing protein denaturation or gelation.
The present invention provides a novel means for increasing the viscosity of a liquid or semi-solid nutritional composition containing protein or the like, and has a viscosity and fluidity suitable for various administration methods, particularly tube feeding. An object is to provide a composition.

  The present inventors have intensively studied in view of the above problems, and added soy lecithin into a nutritional composition containing protein (preferably containing either soy protein or milk protein, more preferably containing soy protein). It has been found that by mixing, it is possible to increase the viscosity of the nutritional composition without adding a thickener or gelling agent even in an acidic range of pH 4 or lower. The obtained nutritional composition also maintained good fluidity suitable for tube feeding. As a result of further studies based on these findings, the present inventors have completed the present invention.

That is, the present invention is as follows.
[1] It contains at least protein, carbohydrate, lipid, minerals, and soy lecithin, the protein contains soy protein, and contains 1 to 300 parts by weight of the soy protein with respect to 1 part by weight of the soy lecithin; A liquid or semi-solid nutritional composition having a pH of 4 or less.
[2] The nutritional composition according to [1], wherein the viscosity is 1,000 to 10,000 mPa · s and the fluidity is 100 to 200 N.
[3] The nutritional composition according to [1] or [2], wherein the content of soybean protein is 1 to 25% by mass.
[4] The nutritional composition according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the content of the soybean lecithin is 0.05% by mass or more.
[5] The nutritional composition according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein 10% by mass or more of the protein in the nutritional composition is a soybean protein.
[6] The calorific value is 1.5 to 3.0 kcal / g, the protein content is 7 to 25% by mass, the carbohydrate content is 18 to 38% by mass, and the lipid content is 3 to 8% by mass. And [1] to [5].
[7] The nutritional composition according to any one of [1] to [6], which is for tube feeding.
[8] The nutritional composition according to [7], which is for gastrostomy / gastrointestinal tube feeding.
[9] The nutritional composition according to any one of [1] to [8], which is for prevention of aspiration pneumonia and / or reflux esophagitis.
[10] The nutritional composition according to any one of [1] to [9], which is for improving undernutrition.
[11] A method for producing a liquid or semi-solid nutritional composition comprising a step of adding and mixing soybean protein and soybean lecithin in a ratio of 1 to 300 parts by mass of soybean protein to 1 part by mass of soybean lecithin.
[12] The production method according to [11], wherein the step is performed at a pH of 4 or less.
[13] The production method according to [11] or [12], wherein the liquid or semi-solid nutritional composition is the nutritional composition according to any one of [1] to [10].
[14] A method for thickening a liquid or semi-solid nutritional composition comprising a step of adding and mixing soybean protein and soybean lecithin in a ratio of 1 to 300 parts by mass of soybean protein to 1 part by mass of soybean lecithin .
[15] The thickening method according to [14], wherein the step is performed at a pH of 4 or less.
[16] It contains at least protein, carbohydrate, lipid, minerals, and soybean lecithin, and contains 1 to 300 parts by mass of the protein with respect to 1 part by mass of the soy lecithin, and has a viscosity of 900 to 10,000 mPa · s. A liquid or semi-solid nutritional composition characterized by having a pH of 4 or less.
[17] A method for producing a liquid or semi-solid nutritional composition comprising a step of adding and mixing protein and soybean lecithin at a pH of 4 or less at a ratio of 1 to 300 parts by mass of protein with respect to 1 part by mass of soybean lecithin .
[18] Thickening of liquid or semi-solid nutritional composition including a step of adding protein and soybean lecithin at a ratio of 1 to 300 parts by mass with respect to 1 part by mass of soybean lecithin and adding protein and soybean lecithin at a pH of 4 or less Method.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to increase the viscosity without adding a thickener or a gelling agent under acidic conditions while maintaining good fluidity of the liquid or semi-solid nutritional composition. Therefore, it is possible to provide a nutritional composition that contains nutrients necessary for life support without excess or deficiency and can be easily administered by various administration methods, particularly tube feeding.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of fluidity measurement of a nutritional composition filled in a pouch.

1. Nutritional composition The present invention comprises at least protein, carbohydrate, lipid, minerals and soybean lecithin, and 1 to 300 parts by mass, preferably 3 to 300 parts by mass, more preferably 1 to 300 parts by mass of the protein with respect to 1 part by mass of the soy lecithin. Provides a liquid or semi-solid nutritional composition (hereinafter also referred to as the composition of the present invention), characterized in that it comprises 5 to 200 parts by mass and has a pH of 4 or less.

  The nutritional composition in the present invention is a nutritional composition containing digestive nutrients and component nutrients. Usually, patients who are difficult to take orally, patients who have undergone major surgery, elderly people with reduced digestive ability, etc. It is used to maintain nutrition. Liquid foods such as concentrated liquid foods and semi-solid liquid foods are examples of such nutritional compositions.

  The composition of the present invention is liquid or semi-solid. Liquid or semi-solid compositions include beverages, concentrated liquid foods, etc. that have a relatively low viscosity, semi-solid liquid foods (eg, gel-like foods, thick foods, mixer foods, etc.), etc. Those having a relatively high viscosity are also included. Further, insoluble aggregates and precipitates may be included as long as administration by various methods, particularly tube feeding, is possible.

  The type of protein used in the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited. For example, soy protein, skim milk, skim milk powder, whole milk protein, milk protein concentrate, casein and its salt and whey and other milk proteins, wheat protein Corn protein, fish protein, egg protein, and their hydrolysates. Those processed into powder, granules, flakes or pellets may be used as raw materials for the composition of the present invention.

  The content of the protein in the composition of the present invention is 7 to 25% by mass, preferably 7 to 20% by mass, more preferably 7 to 15% by mass. If it is 7-25 mass%, it will become possible to obtain easily the protein of 40-50 g / day which is a required amount of elderly people 70 years or older only from the said nutrition composition.

  The protein used in the composition of the present invention is preferably a soy protein and / or a milk protein, more preferably a soy protein. By including soy protein or milk protein, viscosity and fluidity suitable for various administration methods can be easily obtained when mixed with soy lecithin.

  Soy protein means protein obtained from whole soybeans and its hydrolyzate (soy peptide), full-fat soybeans, defatted soybeans, concentrated soybean proteins, defatted soy milk, prepared soy milk, separated soybean proteins, and hydrolyzed separated soybean proteins. It is included in the composition of the present invention in the form of a decomposition product.

  When the protein in the composition of the present invention contains soy protein, the content of soy protein is 1 to 25% by mass, preferably 2 to 20% by mass, more preferably 3 to 15% by mass. When the content is lower than 1% by mass, a sufficient viscosity tends not to be obtained, and when it exceeds 25% by mass, there is a concern that poor dissolution occurs during production.

  When the protein in the composition of the present invention contains soy protein, the proportion of soy protein in the protein is 10% by mass or more, preferably 15% by mass or more, more preferably 20% by mass or more. Further, the ratio may be 100% by mass as long as it is within the range of the protein content.

  At least one kind of carbohydrate is selected from monosaccharides such as glucose and fructose, disaccharides such as sucrose and maltose, oligosaccharides, dextrin, starch, sugar alcohol, thickening polysaccharides, water-soluble dietary fiber, and insoluble dietary fiber. Used. The carbohydrate content in the composition of the present invention is preferably 18 to 38% by mass.

  Lipids include canola oil, soybean oil, corn oil, sesame oil, safflower oil, palm oil and other vegetable oils, fish oil, butter, pig oil and other animal oils, emulsifiers with fatty acids in their structure, medium chain fatty acid triglycerides, etc. At least one type is selected and used from functional oils and fats. In the present invention, the lipid does not include soybean lecithin described later. The lipid content in the composition of the present invention is preferably 3 to 8% by mass.

  Examples of minerals include common minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, chlorine, iron, zinc, copper, and manganese as nutritional components. At least one of these is selected and used. As a raw material of the composition of the present invention, for example, at least one selected from inorganic salts and organic salts of these minerals can be used. The content of minerals in the composition of the present invention can be set as appropriate based on Japanese dietary intake standards, etc., but the daily required amount is set so that it can be consumed only from the composition of the present invention. It is preferable.

  In the present specification, soy lecithin means lecithin produced using soybean as a raw material, and can be produced by a conventional method, and the form thereof is not particularly limited. As shown in Examples described later, enzymatically degraded soybean lecithin containing lysophospholipid produced by enzymatic degradation of soybean lecithin (for example, SLP-paste lyso (manufactured by Sakai Oil Co., Ltd.), sun lecithin A-1 (Taiyo Chemical Co., Ltd.), Recimar EL (Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd.), Basis LP-20E (Nisshin Oilio Group Co., Ltd.), etc.) cannot be used to obtain the desired viscosity and fluidity. The soybean lecithin in the composition of the present invention is preferably soybean lecithin that has not been enzymatically degraded. Also, SLP-paste (containing about 60% soybean lecithin) (manufactured by Sakai Oil Co., Ltd.), Lesion P (containing about 90% or more soybean soy lecithin) (made by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd.), Lesion LP-1 (about 70 soybean soy lecithin) (Containing Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd.), Basis LP-20 (containing about 20-30% soy lecithin) (manufactured by Nisshin Oilio Group), sun lecithin L-61 (containing about 98% soy lecithin) Commercial products such as (manufactured by Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd.) can also be used.

The content of soy lecithin (generic name for phospholipids typified by phosphatidylcholine derived from soybean) in the composition of the present invention is such that the protein (preferably soy protein or milk protein, more preferably 1 part by weight of soy lecithin). May be set so as to contain 1 to 300 parts by mass (preferably 3 to 300 parts by mass, more preferably 5 to 200 parts by mass) of soybean protein. Increasing the viscosity without excessively reducing the flowability of the composition by including protein (preferably soy protein or milk protein, more preferably soy protein) and soy lecithin in the composition in such a ratio Can do.
Although content of the soybean lecithin in the composition of this invention will not be specifically limited if the said ratio is achieved, Usually, it is 0.05 mass% or more. Preferably, it is 0.05-5 mass%.

  The pH of the composition of this invention is 4 or less, Preferably it is 2-4, More preferably, it is 3-4, More preferably, it is 3.5-4. The pH can be adjusted appropriately by a method known per se according to the type of raw material used and the production method. When preparing a nutritional composition containing the necessary nutrients, the pH is often in the neutral range, and therefore the pH can be adjusted to 4 or less by adding an acidulant. In general, it is difficult to adjust the viscosity and fluidity of the composition to an appropriate range unless a thickener or gelling agent is added at an acidic pH, but the composition of the present invention is preferably a protein (preferably Contains soy protein or milk protein, more preferably soy protein) and soy lecithin, thereby providing good viscosity and fluidity at an acidic pH even without adding a thickener or gelling agent. When the pH exceeds 4, the viscosity tends to increase excessively and the fluidity tends to decrease, and a composition suitable for various administration methods such as tube feeding cannot be obtained.

  In a nutritional composition having a pH of 4 or less, by containing protein (preferably soy protein or milk protein, more preferably soy protein) and soy lecithin as described above, the viscosity is 900 to 10,000 mPa · s (preferably 1 1,000 to 10,000 mPa · s, more preferably 1,000 to 7,000 mPa · s, and still more preferably 1,000 to 5,000 mPa · s), preferably a fluidity of 100 to 200 N. A composition that is preferably 100 to 180 N, more preferably 100 to 160 N can be obtained. If the viscosity of the nutritional composition is within the above range, problems caused by low viscosity of the nutritional composition such as gastroesophageal reflux can be prevented. Moreover, if the fluidity | liquidity of a nutrient composition exists in the said range, it will become the moderate fluidity | liquidity which can be administered simply, without requiring big force for the extrusion from a container or a tube. In general, the viscosity of the nutritional composition can be adjusted to 900 to 10,000 mPa · s by adding a gelling agent or a thickening agent. In this case, however, the fluidity tends to decrease and the viscosity is small. A nutritional composition that can be pushed out of a container by force may not be obtained. On the other hand, in the composition of this invention, the said viscosity and fluidity | liquidity are achieved by containing protein (preferably soy protein or milk protein, more preferably soy protein) and soy lecithin. It is not necessary to add a gelling agent or a thickener, and complicated manufacturing equipment and processes are not required, so that it can be easily prepared.

  In the present invention, the viscosity is measured using a B-type viscometer (VISCOMETER RB-80L, manufactured by Toki Sangyo Co., Ltd.). : Represented by a value measured under the conditions of M3, 12 rpm, and 25 ° C.

  In the present invention, fluidity is an index of ease of extrusion from a container or tube. As described in the examples of the present application, 160 g of a sample is used as a pouch with a spout (pouch portion dimensions: vertical 84 mm × depth 17.5 mm). × 147mm wide, pouch material: Alumina-deposited PET 12μm // Ony25μm // LLDPE 70μm), boston feeding tube straight adapter 24Fr button (tube length: 30cm) manufactured by Boston Scientific through an adapter After connecting, place the pouch on a fixed base so that the depth (container thickness) is vertical, and use a texture analyzer (TA-XT plus, manufactured by Eihiro Seiki Co., Ltd.) to form a circle with a diameter of 7.5 cm. When pushing at a constant speed of 0.3 cm / sec from above with a plunger, Vessel thickness is represented as the force (N) at the time it became 20% at the start of measurement.

  In the composition of the present invention, vitamins and the like essential as nutrients may be blended in addition to the above raw materials, and functions represented by catechin, carnitine, coenzyme Q, GABA, α-lipoic acid and the like. It may contain a functional food material. In order to improve the flavor, seasonings, colorants, sweeteners, flavors, and pH adjusters may be used as food-derived raw materials and extracts, and food additives. It is known that free glutamic acid may be contained in the nutritional composition in an amount of 0.05 to 2% by mass, which promotes the excretion of stomach contents and has a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract.

  The composition of the present invention contains a protein (preferably soy protein or milk protein, more preferably soy protein) and soy lecithin, so that a suitable viscosity and flow can be obtained without containing a gelling agent and a thickener. However, it may contain a gelling agent or a thickener. Examples of the gelling agent or thickener include agar, carrageenan, fercellan, alginate, gelatin, pectin, mannan, gellan gum, cassia gum, locust bean gum, gum arabic, tara gum, guar gum, xanthan gum, long chain dextrin, etc. Can be mentioned. However, in order to prevent the viscosity of the composition of the present invention from being excessively increased and the fluidity from being excessively decreased, it is preferable that the contents of the gelling agent and the thickener are as low as possible. For example, the total content of the gelling agent and the thickener is preferably 1% by mass or less, although it may vary depending on the types of the gelling agent and the thickener.

  The composition of the present invention has a calorific value of 1.5 kcal / g or more, preferably 1.5 to 3.0 kcal / g. If the calorie is 1.5 kcal / g or more, even the elderly who have a small amount of food that can be ingested can easily ingest the calorie required for the day only from the composition of the present invention.

  The composition of the present invention comprises 1 to 300 parts by weight (preferably 3 to 300 parts by weight, more preferably 5 parts by weight) of protein (preferably soy protein or milk protein, more preferably soy protein) with respect to 1 part by weight of soy lecithin. It can be produced by a method including a step of adding and mixing protein and soybean lecithin at a ratio of ~ 200 parts by mass). This step is carried out by adding and mixing protein (preferably soy protein or milk protein, more preferably soy protein) and soy lecithin into warm water (usually 50-98 ° C., for example 75 ° C.). Can do. Mixing conditions can be set as appropriate. Preferably, this step is performed at a pH of 4 or less.

  Other steps in the production of the composition of the present invention can be appropriately carried out in the same manner as in known methods for producing a nutritional composition. Each raw material other than the protein and soybean lecithin of the composition of the present invention may be added to warm water when the protein and soybean lecithin are added and mixed, or after being separately mixed with the protein and soybean lecithin, It may be combined with a mixture of protein and soy lecithin. The order in which these raw materials are added is not particularly limited.

  The method for producing the composition of the present invention preferably further comprises the step of homogenizing the mixture of raw materials. Viscosity is imparted to the nutritional composition by uniformly dispersing a mixture containing protein (preferably soy protein or milk protein, more preferably soy protein), soy lecithin, and preferably fats and oils. The process may be carried out by a known method, for example, a stirrer having a rotating blade, a colloid mill having a disk rotating at high speed or a rotor and a fixed disk, an ultrasonic emulsifier, a homogenizer that is a kind of high-pressure pump (homogenizer). ), A milder mixer (for example, MDN303V-A (manufactured by Taiheiyo Kiko Co., Ltd.)) or the like.

  The composition of the present invention may be sterilized for long-term storage. Sterilization is, for example, a method in which a mixture of raw materials is preliminarily heat sterilized and then aseptically filled into a container (for example, a method in which the UHT sterilization method and an aseptic filling method are used together), and a method in which heat is sterilized together with the container after filling into the container It can implement by well-known methods, such as (a retort sterilization method and a boil sterilization method). In the case of boil (high temperature and normal pressure) sterilization, for example, the pH is 4 or less, and the heat treatment can be performed for about 5 to 30 minutes.

  Although it does not specifically limit as a container which accommodates the composition of this invention, It is preferable that it is a form which a patient can ingest easily. For example, resin containers such as plastic bags, plastic bottles and plastic bottles, carton cans, paper containers such as paper packs, aluminum pouches, metal cans and the like can be mentioned.

  The composition of the present invention can be used for various administration methods such as oral nutrition and tube feeding. However, since the fluidity is high and a large force is not required for extrusion from a container or tube, tube feeding is particularly preferable. Suitable for use (preferably for gastrostomy and enteral tube feeding). In the case of tube feeding, it is usually administered to the stomach, duodenum or jejunum from a nasal tube, gastrostoma or intestinal fistula. Depending on the symptoms, it may be taken orally if possible.

  In addition, since the composition of the present invention is adjusted to an appropriate viscosity and fluidity, it is difficult to cause gastroesophageal reflux, swallowing due to aging, cerebrovascular disorders, neuromuscular disorders, etc. It is suitable for prevention of reflux esophagitis and / or aspiration pneumonia in patients with reduced chewing ability, patients who are difficult to ingest due to consciousness disorder, and postoperative patients who cannot take a normal meal. In addition, the composition of the present invention is suitable for improving the undernutrition state because necessary nutrient sources are blended in a balanced manner.

2. The production method of the nutritional composition The present invention also provides 1 to 300 parts by weight (preferably 3 to 300 parts by weight) of protein (preferably soy protein or milk protein, more preferably soy protein) to 1 part by weight of soy lecithin. More preferably, a method for producing a liquid or semi-solid nutritional composition (hereinafter referred to as the production method of the present invention) comprising a step of adding and mixing protein and soybean lecithin at a ratio of 5 to 200 parts by mass) To do. In the present invention, protein (preferably soy protein or milk protein, more preferably soy protein) and soy lecithin are added and mixed, so that nutrition can be achieved without adding a thickener or gelling agent even in an acidic range of pH 4 or lower. Based on the finding that it is possible to increase the viscosity of the composition. Therefore, this step is preferably performed at a pH of 4 or less. According to the production method of the present invention, it is possible to easily produce a nutritional composition having viscosity and fluidity suitable for various administration methods, particularly tube feeding. The manufacturing method of this invention can be implemented according to the manufacturing method of the said composition of this invention. According to the present invention, a liquid or semi-solid nutritional composition can be produced from any raw material, but in a preferred embodiment, the composition of the present invention is produced.

3. Method of thickening nutritional composition The present invention further comprises 1 to 300 parts by weight (preferably 3 to 300 parts by weight) of protein (preferably soy protein or milk protein, more preferably soy protein) with respect to 1 part by weight of soy lecithin. , More preferably 5 to 200 parts by mass), a method for thickening a liquid or semi-solid nutritional composition comprising a step of adding and mixing protein and soybean lecithin (hereinafter referred to as the thickening method of the present invention). )I will provide a.

  The step of adding and mixing the protein (preferably soy protein or milk protein, more preferably soy protein) and soy lecithin in the thickening method of the present invention comprises the step of adding the protein (preferably soy protein) in the method of producing the composition of the present invention. Alternatively, it can be carried out in the same manner as the step of adding and mixing milk protein, more preferably soybean protein) and soybean lecithin. Protein (preferably soy protein or milk protein, more preferably soy protein) and soy lecithin are usually added at any stage of the production process of the nutritional composition, but the order of addition is not particularly limited. The amount of protein to be added is not particularly limited, but if it is added so that the content in the nutritional composition is 7 to 25% by mass, preferably 7 to 20% by mass, more preferably 7 to 15% by mass, A suitable viscosity (for example, 900 to 10,000 mPa · s) can be imparted to the nutritional composition. In addition, when the protein is soy protein, the amount of soy protein added is not particularly limited, but the content in the nutritional composition is 1 to 25% by mass, preferably 2 to 20% by mass, more preferably 3 to 15% by mass. If it is added so that it becomes%, a viscosity suitable for various administration methods (for example, 1,000 to 10,000 mPa · s) can be given to the nutritional composition. The soy lecithin content is 1 to 300 parts by weight (preferably 3 to 300 parts by weight) of protein (preferably soy protein or milk protein, more preferably soy protein) with respect to 1 part by weight of soy lecithin in the nutritional composition. And more preferably 5 to 200 parts by mass). Although content of the soybean lecithin in a nutrition composition will not be specifically limited if the said ratio is achieved, Usually, it is 0.05 mass% or more. Preferably, it is 0.05-5 mass%.

  The thickening method of the present invention preferably further comprises the step of homogenizing a mixture of protein (preferably soy protein or milk protein, more preferably soy protein), soy lecithin, and ingredients of the nutritional composition. Viscosity is imparted to the nutritional composition by uniformly dispersing a mixture containing protein (preferably soy protein or milk protein, more preferably soy protein), soy lecithin, and preferably fats and oils. The said process can be implemented similarly to the homogenization process in the manufacturing method of the composition of the said invention.

  In the present invention, protein (preferably soy protein or milk protein, more preferably soy protein) and soy lecithin are added and mixed, so that nutrition can be achieved without adding a thickener or gelling agent even in an acidic range of pH 4 or lower. Based on the finding that it is possible to increase the viscosity of the composition. Therefore, the step of adding and mixing the protein (preferably soy protein or milk protein, more preferably soy protein) and soy lecithin in the thickening method of the present invention is preferably carried out at a pH of 4 or less.

  By the thickening method of the present invention, the viscosity of any liquid or semi-solid nutritional composition can be increased without adding a thickener or gelling agent, and a nutritional composition having a desired viscosity can be obtained. it can.

  EXAMPLES The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following examples, but these do not limit the scope of the present invention.

1. Preparation of nutritional composition (Example 1)
The nutritional composition of Example 1 was prepared by the following method. In addition, the compounding quantity of the raw material of each composition of an Example and a comparative example is as showing in Table 1.

First, 290 g of water was placed in a 2 L stainless beaker and heated to 75 ° C. Stirring was started, and edible fats and oils, soybean lecithin, a part of acidulant, sodium salt, potassium salt, part of dextrin, and separated soybean protein were added and mixed to obtain composition A.
In another 3 L stainless beaker, 450 g of water was placed and heated to 75 ° C. Agitation was started and the remaining acidulant, calcium salt, magnesium salt, water soluble dietary fiber and a portion of dextrin were added, and the remaining dextrin and milk protein were added. After confirmation of dissolution, sodium glutamate, oligosaccharide, the composition A, a fragrance preparation, and a vitamin mix were added.
Water was added to the mixture in the 3 L stainless beaker to adjust it to 2,450 g to obtain a mixture having a pH of about 3.8.
Next, the obtained mixture was transferred to a tank connected to a milder mixer (MDN303V-A (manufactured by Taiheiyo Kiko Co., Ltd.)) and circulated at 15,000 rpm for 25 minutes. After 120 g of the collected mixture was filled in a transparent pouch, it was sterilized by heating, and then cooled to room temperature with cold water.

(Comparative Example 1)
A composition of Comparative Example 1 was prepared in the same manner as Example 1 except that soybean lecithin was not added.

(Comparative Example 2)
A composition of Comparative Example 2 was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that enzyme-decomposed soybean lecithin (manufactured by Koji Seisen Co., Ltd.) was used instead of soybean lecithin.

(Comparative Example 3)
A composition of Comparative Example 3 was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 using enzyme-decomposed soybean lecithin (manufactured by Taiyo Chemical Co., Ltd.) instead of soybean lecithin.

(Comparative Example 4)
A composition of Comparative Example 4 was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 using egg yolk lecithin instead of soybean lecithin.

(Comparative Example 5)
A composition of Comparative Example 5 was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that soy lecithin was not added and long-chain dextrin (DE = 8) was used instead of dextrin (DE = about 20).

(Comparative Example 6)
A composition of Comparative Example 6 was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that xanthan gum was used instead of soybean lecithin.

(Example 2)
The composition of Example 2 was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the amount of isolated soybean protein added was reduced to 25% of the total amount of protein added in the composition.

(Example 3)
The composition of Example 3 was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the amount of separated soybean protein added was increased to 100% of the total amount of protein added in the composition.

Example 4
A composition of Example 4 was prepared in the same manner as in Example 3 except that the amount of soybean lecithin was reduced to 1/5.

(Comparative Example 7)
A composition of Comparative Example 7 was prepared in the same manner as in Example 3 except that the amount of soybean lecithin was reduced to 1/10.

(Comparative Example 8)
A composition of Comparative Example 8 was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that no sour agent was added.

(Example 5)
A composition of Example 5 was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that 60 g of 160 g of the isolated soybean protein was replaced with soybean peptide.

(Example 6)
A composition of Example 6 was prepared in the same manner as Example 1 except that the separated soybean protein was replaced with the whole amount of milk protein.

2. Viscosity measurement The viscosity of the nutritional composition prepared in 1 above was measured using a B-type viscometer (VISCOMETER RB-80L, manufactured by Toki Sangyo Co., Ltd.). : Measured under conditions of M3, 12 rpm, and 25 ° C.

3. Measurement of fluidity The fluidity of the nutritional composition prepared in 1 above was measured by the following method.
160 g of the nutritional composition is filled in a pouch with a spout (pouch part dimensions: vertical 84 mm × depth 17.5 mm × width 147 mm, pouch part material: alumina-deposited PET 12 μm // Ony 25 μm // LLDPE 70 μm) Connected to Scientific Bolus Feeding Tube Straight Adapter 24Fr Button (Tube length: 30 cm). As shown in FIG. 1, the pouch is placed on a fixed base so that the depth (container thickness) is in the vertical direction, and the diameter is set to 7. with a texture analyzer (TA-XT plus, manufactured by Eihiro Seiki Co., Ltd.). It was pushed from above by a 5 cm circular plunger at a constant speed of 0.3 cm / sec. The force (N) when the container thickness reached 20% at the start of measurement was defined as the fluidity value. The lower the value, the higher the fluidity.

4). Result (1) Examination of effect by addition of soybean lecithin As shown in Table 2, the composition of Example 1 to which soybean lecithin was added had a viscosity of 900 mPa · s or more, and was a comparative example in which soybean lecithin was not added. It showed a higher viscosity than the composition of 1. Moreover, the fluidity | liquidity of the composition of Example 1 is 200 N or less, and it was shown that it has the favorable fluidity | liquidity which can be extruded from a container with sufficient small force. Even when enzyme-decomposed soybean lecithin (Comparative Examples 2 and 3) or egg yolk lecithin (Comparative Example 4) was added in place of soybean lecithin, the viscosity as in the composition of Example 1 was not obtained. Moreover, the composition which added the long chain dextrin (comparative example 5) or xanthan gum (comparative example 6) as a thickener or a gelatinizer without adding soybean lecithin is 900 mPa * s similarly to the composition of Example 1. Although it showed the above viscosity, the force required to extrude from a container exceeded 200 N, and it was shown that fluidity | liquidity is low.

(2) Examination of mixing ratio of soybean protein and soybean lecithin As shown in Table 3, when the concentration of soybean lecithin is 0.44% by mass, the concentration of soybean protein is 3.3% by mass (Example 2), Any composition made into 6.5 mass% (Example 1) and 13.5 mass% (Example 3) has the viscosity of 900 mPa * s or more, and fluidity | liquidity is 200 N or less, The composition has rheological properties suitable for various administration methods.
Moreover, when the concentration of soybean protein is 13.5% by mass, the composition (Example 4) in which the concentration of soybean lecithin is reduced to one fifth of the composition of Example 3 has a viscosity of 900 mPa · s or more. It has a fluidity of 200 N or less, and has a composition having rheological properties suitable for various administration methods. On the other hand, when the concentration of soybean lecithin was reduced to 1/10 of the composition of Example 3, the viscosity was less than 900 mPa · s, and a composition having sufficient viscosity could not be obtained (Comparative Example 7). .

(3) Examination on pH As shown in Table 4, the composition (pH 6.4) of Comparative Example 8 prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that no sour agent was added was the composition of Example 1 (pH 6.4). It showed very high viscosity (> 10,000 mPa · s) and low flowability (> 200 N) compared to pH 3.8). Such compositions are difficult to administer by tube feeding. Therefore, it was shown that it is necessary to adjust the pH to an acidic range (preferably 4 or less) in order to prepare a nutritional composition having moderate viscosity and fluidity by adding soy protein and soy lecithin.

(4) Examination of effect by addition of soybean peptide As shown in Table 5, the composition of Example 5 prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that a part of the separated soybean protein was replaced with soybean peptide, The same thickening as that of the composition No. 1 was exhibited, and the fluidity was 200 N or less. Therefore, it was shown that a composition having rheological properties suitable for various administration methods can be obtained even when soy peptide is added as a soy protein.

(5) Examination of effect by addition of milk protein alone As shown in Table 6, the composition of Example 6 prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the separated soybean protein was replaced with the whole milk protein was the same as in Example 6. The viscosity was the same as that of the composition No. 1 and the fluidity was 200 N or less. Therefore, it was shown that a composition having rheological properties suitable for various administration methods can be obtained even when milk protein is added as a protein.

  The above results show that the viscosity can be increased while maintaining good fluidity by adding and mixing protein (preferably soy protein or milk protein, more preferably soy protein) and soy lecithin to the nutritional composition. It was done.

  The present invention can be used in the field of the medical food industry. Since the composition of the present invention has a viscosity that can prevent gastroesophageal reflux and the like and good fluidity that does not require great force for extrusion from a container or tube, it can be used by nurses, caregivers, patients, etc. The physical or mental burden is reduced and it can contribute to the medical economy.

  This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-181537 (filing date: August 20, 2012) filed in Japan, the contents of which are incorporated in full herein.

Claims (27)

At least protein, carbohydrates, lipids, minerals, and non- enzymatic soy lecithin, wherein the protein contains soy protein, and the soy protein is contained in a ratio of 1 to 300 parts by weight with respect to 1 part by weight of the soy lecithin. A liquid or semi-solid nutritional composition having a pH of 4 or less, a viscosity of 900 to 10,000 mPa · s, and a fluidity of 100 to 200 N. The content of the soybean protein is 1 to 25 wt%, nutritional composition of claim 1. The nutrition composition of Claim 1 or 2 whose content of this soy lecithin is 0.05 mass% or more. The nutrition composition as described in any one of Claims 1-3 whose 10 mass% or more of the protein in a nutrition composition is a soybean protein. The nutritional composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the calorific value is 1.5 to 3.0 kcal / g. The nutritional composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the carbohydrate content is 18 to 38% by mass and the lipid content is 3 to 8% by mass. The nutritional composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the protein content is 7 to 25% by mass. The nutrition composition according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , which is for tube feeding. The nutritional composition according to claim 8 , which is used for gastrostomy / gastrointestinal tube feeding. The nutrition composition according to any one of claims 1 to 9 , which is used for prevention of aspiration pneumonia and / or reflux esophagitis. The nutritional composition according to any one of claims 1 to 10 , which is used for improving undernutrition. Liquid or semi-solid, comprising a step of adding soy protein and non- enzymatic soy lecithin at a pH of 4 or less at a ratio of 1 to 300 parts by weight of soy protein to 1 part by weight of non- enzymatic soy lecithin A method for producing a solid nutritional composition comprising:
The manufacturing method whose viscosity of a nutrition composition is 900-10,000 mPa * s and the fluidity | liquidity of a nutrition composition is 100-200N. The manufacturing method of Claim 12 whose calorie | heat amount of a nutritional composition is 1.5-3.0 kcal / g. The production method according to claim 12 or 13 , wherein the content of carbohydrate in the nutritional composition is 18 to 38% by mass, and the content of lipid is 3 to 8% by mass. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 12 to 14 , wherein the liquid or semi-solid nutrition composition is the nutrition composition according to any one of claims 1 to 11 . Liquid or semi-solid, comprising a step of adding soy protein and non- enzymatic soy lecithin at a pH of 4 or less at a ratio of 1 to 300 parts by weight of soy protein to 1 part by weight of non- enzymatic soy lecithin A method for thickening a solid nutritional composition comprising:
It is performed so that the viscosity of the nutritional composition is 900 to 10,000 mPa · s,
A method of thickening, wherein the fluidity of the nutritional composition is 100 to 200N. The thickening method according to claim 16 , wherein the nutritional composition has a calorific value of 1.5 to 3.0 kcal / g. The method of thickening according to claim 16 or 17 , wherein the carbohydrate content in the nutritional composition is 18 to 38% by mass and the lipid content is 3 to 8% by mass. It contains at least protein, carbohydrates, lipids, minerals, and non- enzymatic soy lecithin, the protein is contained in a ratio of 1 to 300 parts by weight with respect to 1 part by weight of the soy lecithin, has a pH of 4 or less, and has a viscosity of 900 A liquid or semi-solid nutritional composition characterized in that it is -10,000 mPa · s and the fluidity is 100-200 N. The nutrition composition of Claim 19 whose calorie | heat amount is 1.5-3.0 kcal / g. The nutritional composition according to claim 19 or 20 , wherein the carbohydrate content is 18 to 38% by mass and the lipid content is 3 to 8% by mass. A liquid or semi-solid state comprising a step of adding and mixing protein and non- enzymatic soy lecithin at a pH of 4 or less at a ratio of 1 to 300 parts by weight of protein with respect to 1 part by weight of soy lecithin not enzymatically decomposed A method for producing a nutritional composition of
The manufacturing method whose viscosity of a nutrition composition is 900-10,000 mPa * s and the fluidity | liquidity of a nutrition composition is 100-200N. The manufacturing method of Claim 22 whose calorie | heat amount of a nutrition composition is 1.5-3.0 kcal / g. The production method according to claim 22 or 23 , wherein the content of carbohydrate in the nutritional composition is 18 to 38% by mass and the content of lipid is 3 to 8% by mass. A liquid or semi-solid state comprising a step of adding and mixing protein and non- enzymatic soy lecithin at a pH of 4 or less at a ratio of 1 to 300 parts by weight of protein with respect to 1 part by weight of soy lecithin not enzymatically decomposed A method for thickening the nutritional composition of
It is performed so that the viscosity of the nutritional composition is 900 to 10,000 mPa · s,
A method of thickening, wherein the fluidity of the nutritional composition is 100 to 200N. The method of thickening according to claim 25 , wherein the nutritional composition has a calorific value of 1.5 to 3.0 kcal / g. 27. The thickening method according to claim 25 or 26 , wherein the content of carbohydrate in the nutritional composition is 18 to 38% by mass and the content of lipid is 3 to 8% by mass.